The banished Marbury said he would be "honored" to play for the Celtics, admitted they are on his short list, but denied an ESPN.com report he has made a decision to join Boston if he gets released by the Knicks.

Marbury said Boston has not made an offer. A source close to the situation said the Celtics wouldn't be Marbury's No. 1 choice either because of the limited role, backing up emerging point guard Rajon Rondo.

Another source said Celtics president Danny Ainge has interest in Marbury, as has been reported here since the summer, but Ainge wonders if a buyout will ever be worked out. Marbury prefers to join a playoff-caliber team in a starting role, though the Celtics could be the pick if his only options require coming off the bench.

Marbury threw bouquets the Celtics' way yesterday.

"If the world champions have interest, how can I not?" Marbury told The Post in a phone interview from Minneapolis, where he visited his cousin, Sebastian Telfair. "I would be honored to put on the white and green. The team that I am on has said they don't want me. I want to move on with my career. And they should want to move on."

Nevertheless, Marbury said it's "nonsense" to discuss teams he might sign with, considering he is not close to being out of his deal.

Can anyone refresh my memory and tell me if Marbury and KG had a good relationship while they were both in Minnesota?

I don't think they did cause I think KG was furious at Marbury for leaving him hanging in Minnesota with a team not that competitive in a tough Western Conference but anyways if Celtics ain't on Marbury list cause he wants to start you might as well knock off LA as one of his destinations

He would've easily been the last spark in that leaky engine that could ignite that team instantly.

Boston needs size anyway, not a guard. Powe may have gotten away with it last year with thin Eastern front courts and no Bynum in the Finals, but it won't fly this year. Perkins, Davis and Powe won't get the job done in the paint.